While Racing distracts with its annual two-day orgy, pedestrian horses being whip-run at racino-propped tracks (which defines most of American racing) continue to break and die. Yesterday, two more:
In the 2nd race at Aqueduct, 5-year-old Summer Sunset “broke down contending for the lead…was quickly pulled up and subsequently euthanized.” His last six races: second-to-last, last, second-to-last, second-to-last, second-to-last, dead. The first five were under Bruce Levine, the final one, Bernardo Callejas.
In the 4th race at Golden Gate, Jeff Bonde-trained Flashy Dame, also 5, “responded to urging, held on [for the win and $18,000] then broke down following the finish, was euthanized and vanned off.” (The “vanned off” part should go without saying.)
This – and not the ruse going on out west – is horseracing.
Doping, cheating, injuries (both equine & horse), whipping, dying, dumping at kill auctions, then perhaps the slaughterhouse. This is horse racing in a nutshell. Horse Racing is an antiquated sport (if you can call it that) sugar coated with glitz and glamour. It’s not glamourous for the racehorse who can be turned into a pin cushion of relentless needles full of dope. When they are no longer profitable they are dumped in claiming races or at kill auctions. The grassy paddock seems an illusion to many racehorses who don’t end up there. Horse racing is an exploitation of a weaker species for profit and greed.
It’s criminal.
More abuse
Owners drugged this unraced horse and sold it for over 2 million and the effects of the drugs wore off two days after the new owners had them and horse was acting lame and so now they are suing.
From the article.
Two days after being purchased and transferred to Summer Wind Farm in Georgetown, Ky., Love Me Only began exhibiting lameness and specialists would diagnose her with chronic laminitis. Love Me Only subsequently recovered and produced live foals in 2012 and ’13 and is in foal for 2015.
http://www.paulickreport.com/news/ray-s-paddock/mcdonald-love-me-only-was-ouchy-not-lame/
http://www.paulickreport.com/news/ray-s-paddock/lyon-love-me-only-lawsuit-was-last-resort/
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/88213/ashford-execs-testify-in-love-me-only-trial
There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that racing has a love affair with drugs. Drugs, drugs, and more drugs…that is the motto of racing. However, this mare was suffering from laminitis and should have received therapeutic medication. It appears that she is now doing well and has fully recovered. She has been repeatedly bred with the hope of producing a winner and generating lots of revenue. I wish her foals a safe landing.
Aqueduct,Belmont, and Saratoga Springs are simply slaughterhouses devoted to gambling.
Bernardo Callejas served as “named-trainer” for Bruce Levine’s stable at the time of Summer Sunset’s death. Levine’s name could not be listed on the NYRA program [or PARX] as he was serving a 21-day suspension for drug violations which had begun on October 19, 2014. The NY Gaming Commission database shows that five horses died under Callejas in the first four months of 2010: Cardinal Hayes, Whirling Agatha, Share the Moment, Kaffie’s Doll, and Prince of Iron. I’d be interested to know the criterion Levine used in choosing Callejas.